See the illusion

Derren Brown is an amazing illusionist in the UK. He performs shows both on stage and for television where he uses his stunning level of skills in reading people using such techniques as NLP and behavioural profiling. It looks like mind-reading and telepathy but he is the first to assure that it isn't.

This man has spent much of his career showing how many of those who profess to predict the future are often taking money on false pretences. He is a great performer and even when he tells you how he has done it, and does it again, it can still seem like magic. We love a magic trick.

The world of advertising does the same thing. It creates an illusion that appears so real we believe to be true. Even better than this, these clever advertising bods can create this illusion so that we believe it unconsciously. We tell ourselves that we know it is just an illusion and yet our unconscious believes it to be true so we buy the product.

These clever advertising bods create images and jingles to help the illusion appear real. How many jingles can you sing? How many catch phrases and tag lines can you repeat? Let's have a go.

• "The burgers are better at ...?"
• "............. - where low prices are just the beginning."
• "It's not clean unless it's .... clean."
• "Only the flakiest, crumbliest ......"
• "I feel like ..... tonight."

When we shop, go out or want a treat our unconscious brain already has the answers for us thanks to years of clever advertising in addition to all the habits that we have developed along the way.

It is time to stick it to the advertising bods and the large companies for whom they advertise. It is time to free yourself from thinking that each of these is the solution to your problem. Chocolate may make you feel better for a few minutes but then how much better do you feel a few hours later?

Enjoy thinking for yourself
Sarah